The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies trailer released at Comic-Con

First trailer for Peter Jackson's final instalment of The Hobbit trilogy released as fans prepare to say goodbye to Middle Earth

The first trailer for Peter Jackson's The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies has been released as fans prepare to follow Bilbo and the Dwarves into Middle Earth for the last time.

The third and final film of The Hobbit trilogy joins Bilbo Baggins and Thorin Oakenshield having reclaimed Erebor, the home of the Dwarves, from the fire-breathing dragon Smaug, which now threatens to destroy Lake-town.

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Originally titled There and Back Again, the film changed its name in April in reference to the epic battle involving many known characters from goblins and dwarves to elves and men as legions of orcs descend upon the Lonely Mountain under Sauron's command.

"One day I'll remember, remember everything that happened. The good, the bad, those who survived, and those that did not," Bilbo is heard saying at the start of the trailer.

The trailer, which was first unveiled at Comic-Con, was released on the film's official Twitter account and promptly retweeted by Ian McKellen, who plays Gandalf, and Andy Serkis, the voice of computer-animated Gollum.

Directed by Peter Jackson, the final instalment in the Tolkien franchise stars Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins, Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield and Lee Pace as Thranduil.

Lee Evans plays Bard while Benedict Cumberbatch provides the dragon’s voice. Evangeline Lilly, Cate Blanchett, Orlando Bloom reprise their roles as elves.

'The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies' opens in cinemas on 12 December.

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